Proposal Format Requirements & Session Types
Areas of Interest Across All Session Types
The SIOP program has several different session types, each with a specific format and set of requirements. Please review and select among the various format options carefully, as not all topics are well-matched to all session types. Please note that standalone presentations are not automatically grouped and assigned to sessions but rather must be grouped by the session chair into a thematically integrated session at the time of submission. Individual presentations can be submitted as Posters.
For all session types except for Posters, SIOP provides a projector, screen, and microphones (1-2 tables, one podium, and one wired lavaliere microphone). Please note that to use the LCD projector, you are required to bring your own laptop. Presenters using computers without a VGA port (e.g., Macs) should also bring an adapter for connection to the VGA port on the projector.
Audience participation.For all session types (except individual posters), audience engagement is encouraged. Although this may seem more naturally integrated into some sessions types, submitters are encouraged to incorporate audience engagement into the submitted session. Some examples of audience engagement can include audience polling, a formal Q & A session (where audience members submit their questions in writing), having a discussant or other session participant select a subset of questions to answer, or starting the session by asking audience members a question that requires them to interact with others or which will be revisited at the end of the presentation after the material has been presented. Do not feel limited by these examples. Creativity in audience participation and selecting a method that fits well with the submitted session are encouraged.
Reproducible Research: Reproducible research may be presented in any of the session types. For research to be considered reproducible, presenters must commit at the time of submission to provide SIOP Community access to one or more of the following by the time of presentation: code or syntax used in analysis, data or mock data on which to run the code; a READ ME file with instructions detailing the analysis process. The following coding languages are among those that may be useful for reproducibility: R, Python, SPSS, SAS, STATA, MPlus or MATLAB. Submitters must check a box on the Submission Form to declare that reproducible research will be presented in the submission and include an explanation paragraph (500 character maximum; does not count toward total word limit) in the submission document describing the reproducible nature of the submission. For additional detail, see the Reproducible Research Submission Guidelines
An example of an explanation paragraph included in the submission document is as follows:
My submission for SIOP, if accepted, will include the following materials making it eligible for the category of Reproducible Research.
- Syntax file in R including data cleaning, variable creation, and analysis
- Data file (raw) in .csv format
Cross-Disciplinary Sessions:
For 2019, we encourage cross-disciplinary sessions. Any of the session types described next may opt in as a cross-disciplinary session. To qualify for this type of session, at least one presenter or author must come from a field other than I-O, HR, or a highly related field (e.g., Organizational Behavior). The proposal must include an explicit description of how expertise, approaches, or methods from multiple disciplines were used to address I-O-related issues and why a cross-disciplinary approach was necessary. As a reminder, all individuals who present in a SIOP session are required to pay the conference registration fee. Fields whose inclusion would qualify a session as cross-disciplinary include but are not limited to:
- Data or computer science
- Political science
- Law
- Medicine
- Information systems
- Finance, economics, marketing, strategy
- Robotics
- Education
- Real Estate
- Engineering
- Physics, chemistry, biology
- Other social sciences
- Other areas of psychology, (e.g., cognitive, neuroscience, engineering/human factors)
In addition to the traditional session requirements, cross-disciplinary submissions must include an explanation paragraph (500-character maximum; does not count toward total word limit) describing the cross-disciplinary nature of the submission.
An example of an explanation paragraph included in the submission document is as follows:
This SIOP submission qualifies for the category of Cross-disciplinary Research for the following reasons:
- The 2nd author (name) received an M.D. from (university name)
- The research involves training and development for nurses in a hospital environment
- Some aspects of the training and development may have generalizability for white collar occupations
SESSION TYPES
Debate. Debates are an engaging way to present opposing views about a topic. Generally, a Debate includes a moderator and presenters to represent each side of a controversial topic. The Debate may consist of the moderator stating a proposition, one side presenting affirming arguments, and the other side presenting dissenting arguments. Alternatively, the moderator may pose pointed questions whereby the debaters share their conflicting views on the topic. Time for rebuttal and audience questions can be incorporated. When submitting a Debate proposal, please describe the topic to be debated, the participant composition and format of the Debate, the major points likely to be argued by each side or the questions that will be posed to them, and the debaters’ expertise related to the focal topic. Please refer to the Diversity of Affiliation requirements. Debates may be submitted as either a 50- or 80-minute session. Historically, few debates are proposed to the SIOP conference. However, they tend to be among the most popular sessions and thus we highly encourage submissions.
Debate Submission Requirements:
- 85-character title, including spaces
- Shortened title for the grid version of the program that accurately and succinctly represents the session. The maximum length is 50 characters, including spaces. Feel free to use common abbreviations and ampersands (e.g., “Linking Orgs & People through Emotion Experience”).
- 400-character abstract, including spaces
- 800-character press paragraph (see press paragraph guidelines), including spaces
- A summary with a minimum of 900 words and a maximum of 3,000 words (excluding references) that describes the session in enough detail that reviewers can evaluate it effectively
- Should not be prepared for blind review
(Click here for an example of a Debate submission)
Symposium. A Symposium is a multipresenter session including a well-integrated set of research, practice, theory, or teaching-oriented content. Participants in a Symposium should include a chairperson and three to five presenters (five only if no discussant is included). For increased audience interaction, the session chair can facilitate a discussion at the end of the symposium or optionally include a Discussant in this role. Other options for audience interaction are welcome. Audience interaction is a desired feature for SIOP sessions; please allow sufficient time accordingly. Although individual presentations within a Symposium may have all authors from the same institution, across the entire session the Diversity of Affiliation requirement applies. Please refer to the guidance about this requirement. See information in this document for ideas on how to identify collaborators for sessions. A symposium may be submitted as either a 50 or 80 minute session.
Symposium Submission Requirements:
- 85-character title (including spaces; this applies to each individual presentation within the session as well as to the overall session title)
- Shortened title for the grid version of the program that accurately and succinctly represents the session. The maximum length is 50 characters, including spaces. Feel free to use common abbreviations and ampersands (e.g., “Linking Orgs & People through Emotion Experience”).
- 400-character abstract, including spaces
- 800-character press paragraph (see press paragraph guidelines), including spaces
- 750-word (excluding references) general summary
- 1000-word summary (excluding references) for each component paper detailing the presentation’s contribution, including a description of data and analyses where appropriate
- Includes three to five presentations (excluding discussant or interaction with audience; if five presentations, cannot have a discussant)
- May include one or more discussants but is not required (note: discussants cannot be an author on any of the papers in the Symposium)
- If a discussant is included, a summary of the discussant’s comments is not needed
- Should not be prepared for blind review
(Click here for an example of a Symposium submission)
IGNITE! Panel. The typical approach for this session type is to have several experts on a focal scientific or practical I-O topic prepare 20 auto-advancing slides for a 5-minute presentation. Panels can have up to 7 presenters, which should allow adequate time for questions at the end OR can elect for fewer presenters and a facilitated audience discussion/Q&A session upon completion of all presentations. Proposals for IGNITE! Panels should provide a brief overview and short summary of each presentation. If there are fewer presenters, submissions should include guiding questions for the facilitated audience discussion portion. The Diversity of Affiliation requirement applies. Please refer to the guidance about this requirement. All IGNITE! Panels should be a 50-minute sessions.
IGNITE! Panel Submission Requirements:
- 85-character title, including spaces
- Shortened title for the grid version of the program that accurately and succinctly represents the session. The maximum length is 50 characters, including spaces. Feel free to use common abbreviations and ampersands (e.g., “Linking Orgs & People through Emotion Experience”).
- 400-character abstract, including spaces
- 800-character press paragraph (see press paragraph guidelines), including spaces
- A summary with a minimum of 900 words to a maximum of 3,000 words (excluding references) that describes the session in enough detail so reviewers can evaluate it effectively
- In general, the summary should provide a brief overview of the focal topic and a short summary of each presentation (including biographical information for each presenter)
- Should not be prepared for blind review
(Click here for an example of an IGNITE! Panel submission)
Master Tutorial. The primary purpose of the Master Tutorial is to develop and educate the audience about a focal I-O topic. As examples, Tutorials might be developed to provide an update on a specified content area, discuss a new statistical technique, or describe how knowledge from another discipline can be applied to an I-O problem or topic. Topics that are not appropriate include descriptions of commercial products that the presenter is marketing. Proposals for Tutorials should describe the specific content to be taught in the tutorial and indicate whether the coverage of the material will be basic or advanced.
Master Tutorial Submission Requirements
- 85-character title, including spaces
- Shortened title for the grid version of the program that accurately and succinctly represents the session. The maximum length is 50 characters, including spaces. Feel free to use common abbreviations and ampersands (e.g., “Linking Orgs & People through Emotion Experience”).
- 400-character abstract, including spaces
- 800-character press paragraph (see press paragraph guidelines) , including spaces
- A summary with a minimum of 900 words to a maximum of 3,000 words (excluding references) that describes the session in enough detail so reviewers can evaluate it effectively
- Should not be prepared for blind review
(Click here for an example of a Master Tutorial submission)
Panel Discussion. In a Panel Discussion, the chairperson plays a very active role, serving as the moderator who ensures that all panelists (generally three to five people) have the opportunity to speak. A chairperson can both pose questions and facilitate audience questions. Panel Discussions should generate spontaneous interaction among panelists and between panelists and the audience. Diversity among panelists is important to the success of the session. Further, all panelists must recognize the need for advance preparation. A Panel Discussion proposal should describe the structure or format of the session, the underlying issues or themes to be discussed, and some key questions that will either be addressed primarily by the panel or will be supplemented with additional questions generated by the audience. Please refer to the guidance about applicable Diversity of Affiliation requirements. A panel discussion may be submitted as either a 50- or 80-minute session.
Panel Discussion Submission Requirements
- 85-character title, including spaces
- Shortened title for the grid version of the program that accurately and succinctly represents the session. The maximum length is 50 characters, including spaces. Feel free to use common abbreviations and ampersands (e.g., “Linking Orgs & People through Emotion Experience”).
- 400-character abstract, including spaces
- 800-character press paragraph (see press paragraph guidelines), including spaces
- A summary with a minimum of 900 words to a maximum of 3,000 words (excluding references) that describes the session in enough detail so reviewers can evaluate it effectively
- Should not be prepared for blind review
(Click here for an example of a Panel Discussion submission)
Poster. Several Poster Sessions will be organized to give participants opportunities to present individual papers. Poster Sessions will be 50 minutes long. At each Poster Session, many authors simultaneously present their papers, primarily in a visual medium, with key excerpts from the papers displayed on large boards (8’ x 4’). The audience circulates among posters and stops to discuss papers of particular interest with the authors. Papers submitted for Poster presentation must represent completed work and should be prepared according to instructions provided in the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association, 6th Edition, with the exception of the title page and abstract formatting, which should follow SIOP’s rules detailed below in the Required Submission Document Format section. Please note that non-empirical submissions advancing theoretical propositions ARE permitted. A theoretical proposal goes beyond a standard literature review. A theoretical article examines the current research on a topic, reviews the most recent developments in the field, and proposes ways to further advance theory and future research on a topic. A strong theoretical proposal will clearly communicate propositions to advance the field.
Top posters will again be featured this year during a social hour.No audiovisual equipment or electricity will be available for Poster Sessions.
One poster will also be awarded the Flanagan Award:
The John C. Flanagan Award for Best Student Presentation at the SIOP Conference. The John C. Flanagan Award was established to recognize the best student contribution at the SIOP conference. Poster submissions whose first author is a student are automatically considered for the Flanagan award. To qualify for the Flanagan Award, a student must, as of December 1st, 2018 (a) have a paid Student Affiliate membership in SIOP, (b) be enrolled in a PhD program, and (c) be the first author of the paper submitted. In the case of multiple authors, order of authorship should reflect the relative scientific or professional.
Poster Format Submission Requirements:
- 85-character title, including spaces
- 400-character abstract, including spaces
- 800-character press paragraph (see press paragraph guidelines), including spaces
- A complete paper with a maximum of 3,000 words
- References, tables, and figures do not count toward the 3,000-word limit, but appendices do count toward the limit
- This format MUST be prepared for blind review. Omit names that could identify the author(s). Also, go to "Properties" in the file menu, click on the summary tab, and delete any identifiers.
(Click here for an example of a Poster submission)
Alternative Session Type. The Program Committee is actively seeking proposals for innovative session types contributing to a program that is informative and invigorating and, additionally, that exposes the audience to new ways of disseminating, connecting with, and learning about key topics. This format applies to any submission falling outside the types described above due to novelty in format or style. As an example, the alternative session types should extend beyond the boundaries of a symposium followed by an interactive discussion period. There are two important stipulations for this session type: first, it must fit either a 50- or an 80-minute session length (as with other sessions, 50 minutes is encouraged); and second, it must utilize a standard theater style room layout (podium/screen at the front of the room and rows of chairs for the audience or a round table set up). For logistical reasons variations in session length and/or other room layouts can unfortunately not be accommodated. Please be sure to indicate in the special requests check box if a round table room set up is required. All attempts to honor request for round tables will be made, however they cannot be guaranteed.
SIOP highly encourages submission of alternative session types. The following are examples of alternative sessions. This is intended as an illustrative versus exhaustive list of ideas.
- Open Fishbowl (small group discussions or debates observed by a larger, surrounding group, with an open chair for audience members to cycle in/out of the discussion)
- Mashups (a collection of seemingly disparate people or ideas, designed to highlight different perspectives to a common problem)
- Open Space (a flexible format focused on an important purpose or task but without any formal agenda beyond the overall purpose or theme)
- Reverse Debate (A debate in which the pro/con perspective is taken by an individual with a disparate background or perspective)
- Research Incubator (A few papers on a related topic are briefly presented, followed by the audience breaking into small groups to further discuss development of ideas and future research)
- Competition Format (participants are recruited in advance to participate in a competition, with information shared with participants in advance and presentations in the session)
- Blended formats (e.g., symposium and panel discussion).
Please note that Alternative Sessions must still conform to the 50- or 80-minute timeframe and that the presenters are responsible for determining and controlling the time allocated between different session types during the presentation period. Feel free to extend beyond these example Alternative Session Types; we look forward to submitters’ ideas for memorable, unique, and compelling session types that will be enlightening and absorbing for the SIOP 2019 audience. For any questions related to the feasibility of an alternative session please contact program@siop.org.
Proposals for Alternative Session Types should detail the focal topic or theme, the distinguishing and novel attributes of the new format and how they will benefit the audience, and a specific rationale for why and how the topic/theme is well aligned with this session type. Please clearly indicate in your description specifically what qualifies your submission as an alternative session. For multipresenter sessions, Diversity of Affiliation Requirements apply.
When submitting any Alternative Session Type, please give careful consideration to the fact that many alternative formats can be quite challenging for presenters unaccustomed to the format and, as such, involve substantial planning and coordination among presenters and the session chair, often well beyond that required for a traditional format. We strongly encourage extensive presenter practice to ensure a smooth-running and well-received session. Since these formats will often be new to the audience as well, please plan an introduction that ensures that they have the information they need to effectively contextualize, engage with, and learn from the session type.
There are two different formats to submit alternative sessions. The first, “Alternative Session Type with Presenters (No Authorship Order),” should be used in cases where there are no individual papers being presented and authorship is not meaningful (e.g., Open Fishbowl). The presenters will appear in the program in the way they appear for Panel Discussions. The second Alternative Session Type is labeled “Alternative Session Type with Multiple Papers.” This should be selected in cases where there are multiple papers being presented and authorship order on each paper is meaningful (e.g., Research Incubator). The format of these types will resemble that of a Symposium in the printed program. Please be sure to select the appropriate type of Alternative Session Type at the onset of your submission.
Alternative Session Type Submission Requirements:
- 85-character title, including spaces
- Shortened title for the grid version of the program that accurately and succinctly represents the session. The maximum length is 50 characters, including spaces. Feel free to use common abbreviations and ampersands (e.g., “Linking Orgs & People through Emotion Experience”).
- 400-character abstract, including spaces
- 800-character press paragraph (see press paragraph guidelines), including spaces
- A summary with a minimum of 900 words to a maximum of 3,000 words (excluding references) that describes the session in enough detail so reviewers can evaluate it effectively
- Does not need to be prepared for blind review
(Here is an example of an Alternative Session Type With Presenters (No Authorship Order) submission and an Alternative Session Type With Multiple Papers)
IDENTIFYING COLLABORATORS FOR SUBMISSIONS
Looking for individuals to connect with for a session on a topic of interest? A few recommendations for connecting with other possible presenters include posting on my.siop.org, community of interest discussion lists, alumni communication channels, social networking sites, and other online forums related to the subject area. Searchable programs are available online. Begin the process of recruitment as early as possible.